Shale retort



July 29 1924. D. H. FRANCIS SHALE RETORT Filed May 2, 1921 *.73 coydeysor ing deposited centrally of the shale bed 3. Quantities of the shale will be fed between the distributing spokes 10 of the rotary distributor and said spokes will cause the shale to be disseminated on the shale bed, whereby it will be heated and roasted sufciently to liberate, as a vapor, such oil as, may be contained Within the shale. With the rotary distributor Slowly revolving there is sufficient time for the shale to be heated and the oil liberated before the shale reaches the marginal edges of the, shale bed, and spent shale will be carried to the openings 14 and discharged through the discharge spouts. It is therefore possible to continuously carry on the operation of extracting oil from the shale, and since the retort may be ooerated at a comparatively small .cost, the uil recovered by the retort is suf- Lficient to warrant its use Where the percentage of oil is low in shale.

As set forth in the beginning, the furnace 2 simply represents a conventional form of heater for the shale bed and it is obvious that oil burners, electric heating elements and the like may be substituted for the furnace. It is also to be understood that the structural elements entering into the 'heated shale receiving retort may be varied or changed without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is 1. A shale retort com rising an enclosed ed, means for depositing shale centrally of said bed, a large horizontally disposed 'Wheel above said receiving bed and having spokes of a configuration to cause shale to be distributed from the central portion of said bed to the marginal portion thereof, and means adaptedv to successively scrape the spokes of said Wheel. y

2. A shale retort comprising an enclosed heated Shale receiving bed, spokes for distributing shale on said bed, and a scraping arm adapted to swing from one spoke to another spoke, said spokes being notched to afford clearance for said arm when shifting from one spoke to another.

In testimony whereof l aiix my signature in presence ot' two Witnesses.

DANIEL H. FRANCIS. lV itnesses:

ERNEST LnAvEn'roN, FRANK R. HALL. 

